Getting started? Protect your personal assets by incorporating your business or forming a Limited Liability Company (LLC). The Company Corporation's fast, online services and friendly staff simplify the often complex process of business formation.

Incorporation is just the beginning. The Company Corporation offers many products and services to help you grow and manage your business. As your needs evolve, we'll stand by you. Let us focus on the details so you can focus on running a profitable business.

The Company Corporation has incorporated more than 750,000 small businesses. We can trace our roots back more than a century. We were the first company to provide Internet-based incorporation services and we continue to invest in the best technology to help our customers.

Annual Reports

Your company's good standing depends on this yearly filing.

States in which your corporation or LLC is formed or qualified to do business in generally require you to file an annual report.

By filing an annual report, you're providing the Secretary of State with updated information about your business. The details of your annual report may vary from state to state, but typically include information about your corporation or LLC such as:

Different states charge different filing fees for annual reports. Deadlines, too, vary from state to state. Some states have only a bi-annual (every two years) filing requirement. Other states require corporations and LLCs to file an initial annual report soon after formation.

Failure to file an annual report can mean penalties, fines and loss of good standing for your business.

The Company Corporation can help.

The Company Corporation can prepare and file your business's annual reports. By outsourcing the job to us, you'll save time, remove uncertainty about details, deadlines and fees, and help protect your company's good standing.
When you sign up for our Annual Report Preparation & Filing services, The Company Corporation will track your deadlines, prepare your annual reports, and file them on time for you. To make sure we have the right information, we'll even conduct a thorough audit of your company records and provide you a detailed report of our findings.

It's important to note that along with annual reports, many states require companies to pay annual franchise taxes. The Company Corporation can help you satisfy your franchise tax filing requirements, as well as a host of other business compliance obligations.

Most entities are subject to regular reporting requirements to the federal government, state jurisdiction, and/or local jurisdictions in which business is transacted. The definition of an annual report is a required filing due to the Secretary of State, usually a listing of directors, officers and some financial information.

The purpose of filing an annual or biennial report is to provide the jurisdiction with current information on the company's structure (officers, directors, members, registered agent, etc.) and finances (authorized shares, issued shares, stated capital, paid in capital, etc.) In many states the amount of a company's franchise tax due is often determined by the information provided by the company on its annual report.

Distinguishing an Annual Report from a Franchise Tax Report can be confusing, since the name of the annual report in some states is called an Annual Franchise Tax Report. The name of the report doesn't always indicate exactly what it is, so you'll need to know the state office you're required to file with. All states are different, and in some states you may need to file an Annual Franchise Tax with the Secretary of State (similar to an Annual Report), and in others you may need to file a Franchise Tax with the Department of Taxation or Franchise Department.

No. Each state has its own requirements regarding Annual Reports. Not only are Annual Report requirements dependent on the individual state laws, but they are also dependent on other factors such as the date of registration, entity type, and other state regulations.

It depends on the state laws where you'll file your Annual Report. States have the ability to change the requirements surrounding Annual Reports at any time, with or without notice. To be safe, always ensure that you've researched the most up to date state requirements, so you don't miss the filing deadline.

Missing an Annual Report due date can have major consequences. A company's good standing status and even its rights to exist can be jeopardized by ignoring annual report requirements. A company may also incur monetary penalties for not filing their report on time. If you are late to file your annual report, depending on the state, you'll have to pay penalty fees and reinstatement fees, both of which are much higher than the price of actually filing the annual report for the first time.

‡ By entering your telephone number and clicking "Grab Your Free Guide," you agree to let us follow up with you at this phone number regarding this and other services, or simply call us at 800.818.6082 to speak to someone who can help you.